Rocking dump body



Nov. 5, 1929. L. E. WILLIAMS ,734,320

' ROCKING DUMP BODY Filed Aug. 16. 1926 Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEROY E. WILLIAMS, OF EDGERTON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HIGHWAY TRAILER COMPANY, OF EDGERTON: WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN ROCKING DUMP BODY Application filed August 16, 1926.

This invention relates to load-carrying vehicles in which the body is of the hopper type mounted for tilting to discharge its load, and the object of the invention is to provide a mounting for such a body which shall be economical in construction and positive in its control of the tilting movement in the dumping operation. It consists in certain elements and features of construction in combination, as herein shown and described, and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic front elevation of the vehicle and body to which this invention is applied.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same with a portion of the length broken out to condense the view, and with certain parts shown in vertical section.

Figure 3 is a horizontal detail section taken as indicated at line, 3-3, on Figure 1.

For purposes of illustration I have chosen a very simple type of vehicle frame compr1s ing side members, 1, 1, connected by cross members, 2, and supported by quarter elliptic springs, 3, upon the axles, 4, of wheels, 5. The body, 6, is of the upwardly-open hopper type with flaring side walls so that when tilted through about 90 degrees, its entire load will be discharged by gravity at one side ofthe path of the vehicle. The cross member, 2, at each end of the frame carries an upstandingrocker arm, 7, fulcrumed at 8, near itslower end for supporting the body, 6, at any position by means of studs, 9, which rest normall in the lower ends of arcuate slots, 10, in t e rocker arm, 7.

Each of the rocker arms, 7, is maintained normally in' upright position by means of a locking device which includes an abutment, 11, projecting from the base of the arm, 7, and having oppositely beveled surfaces, 12, 12, diverging to meet opposite parallel surfaces, 13, 13; Said faces, 13, are engaged between-theup-standing arms, 14, of bell cranks fulcrnmed at- 15 on an up-standing bracket, 16,-extending rigidly from the cross member, 2. .Thehorizontal arm, 17, of each of the bell cranks is connected by a cable, 18, to a crank arm, 19, on a pedal shaft, 20, so that Serial No. 129,369.

when the pedal, 21, of said shaft is depressed the locking arm, 14, of the bell crank is withdrawn from engagement with the face, 13, of the abutment, 11, and the rocker, 7, is free to swing to one side of its normal position, carrying with it the hopper body, 6. The pedal shaft, 20, carries two crank arms, 19, connected respectively to locking devices at opposite ends of the vehicle so that both locking arms, 14, at the same side are released simultaneously to permit both rockers, 7, 7, to swing over for tipping the body, 6.

The angular swing of the arms, 7, 7, is limited by spring cushion devices, 22, supported on the side bars, 1, in' position to encounter bosses or lugs, 23, formed on the arms, 7, for this purpose. The hopper body, 6, however, is not rigidly anchored to the arms, 7, 7; therefore, when said arms are airrested on the cushions, 22, the body cohtinues to swing in the same general direction with one of the studs, 9, at each end serving as a trunnion and the other stud moving upwardly in the arcuate guide slot,10', until it strikes a spring-cushioned bumper, 24', carried by the upper end of the arm, 7. This determines the full range of the tilting movement of the body, 6.

The bell cranks which include the locking arms, 14, are provided with return springs, 25, which swing said arms back to uprig ht position as soon as the pressure on the pedal, 21 is released. Said arms are therefore ready to receive the locking abutment, 11, when the body is pushed up and back to normal position carrying with itthe'arms, 7. The outer faces of the locking arms, 14, are beveled at 26, so that the beveled surface, 12, colliding with one of the inclined surfaces, 26, will crowd back the locking arm, 14', sufiiciently to let the abutment, 11, pass; but the inner'face of the other arm, 14, is engaged squarely by the face, 13, of the abutment, 11,-so as to arrest the abutment and the arm, 7, and as the parts reach this position the first arm, 14, is returned by its spring, 25, to engage the 0pposite parallel face, 13, of the abutment and hold the rocker arm, 7, positively in its upright position.

Of course in the initial return movement of the body, 6, it is rocked about its trunnions, 9, in the arms, 7, until both trunnions at each end of the body rest in the lower ends of the slots, 10. When the body reaches upright position its own weight is sufficient to stabilize it upon these four trunnion supports, 9, though, it will be obvious that if the vehicle is to be used over extremely rough roads, ordinary stabilizer chains or straps may be added. The studs or trunnions, 9, are preferably secured in a re-enforcing plate, 27, attached to the end wall of the hopper, 6, in order that the load may not unduly strain the thin sheet metal of which the body walls are ordinarily constructed.

It will be understood, of course, that the pedals, 21, which are shown located at the sides of the vehicle frame are connected re spectively to the locking arms, 14, which will release the body for tilting away from the pedal which is operated,this allowing the operator to step on one pedal and at the same time to give the body a push in the direction for dumping it.

I claim 1. In combination with a vehicle frame and a hopper body, a pair of supports extending upwardly from the frame adjacent the ends of the body and mounted for rocking in either direction about a longitudinal axis of the frame directly below the center of gravity of the body in its normal load-carrying position, connections between said supports and the body by which the latter is adapted to rock on the supports about an axis parallel to the axis on which the supports rock, and means limiting the angular range of both rocking movements.

2. In combination with a. vehicle frame and a hopper body, a support on the frame mounted for rocking about a horizontal axis and a pair of horizontal trunnions by which the body engages the support, said support being provided with an arcuate guide slot for each trunnion curved about the center of the other trunnion, whereby the body is adapted to rock on either trunnion with respect to the support.

3. In the combination defined in claim 2, said arcuate slots being spaced apart laterally and converging upwardly with stop means at the upper ends of the slots.

4. In the combination defined in claim 2, said arcuate slots being spaced apart laterally and converging upwardly with yielding stop means at the upper ends of the slots.

5. In the combination defined in claim 2. a pair of locking members associated with said support for holding it in upright position, and means for releasing either of said members independently at will to permit the support to rock toward one side or the other of the frame.

6. In the combination defined in claim 1, a

pair of locking members associated with each of said supports for holding it in upright position, and means operable at will for releasing one of said members at each support simultaneously for permitting the supports to rock toward one side of the vehicle frame.

7 In combination with a vehicle frame and a hopper body, a pair of supports upstanding from the frame at opposite ends of the body respectively, and mounted for rocking about a horizontal longitudinal axis of the vehicle, said body being carried on said supports by two horizontal trunnions at each end of the body laterally spaced apart at substantially equal distances on opposite sides of the vertical plane of the rocking axis of the supports, said body being adapted to rock upon either trunnion of each pair; releaseable locking means for holding the supports normally in upright position, means for releasing said locking means to permit the supports to swing toward one side or the other of the vehicle frame, stop means on the frame for limiting such swing of the supports, and stops on the supports for checking the rocking movement of the body on its trunions after the arrest of the supports on the frame.

8. In combination with a vehicle frame, a support pivotally mounted on the frame, a hopper body pivotally mounted on the support, one of said pivotal connections comprising two pairs of trunnions laterally spaced from each other, adapted to serve alternatively as pivots when the body and support are swung laterally to one side or to the other side of the frame.

9. In the combination defined in claim 8, each pair of said trunnions being adapted to serve as an independent pivotal support, when the body and support are swung laterally to the respective side of the frame.

10. In the combination defined in claim 2, said arcuate slots being spaced apart laterally and converging toward each other with stop means at the ends of the slots.

11. In combination with a vehicle frame a dumping hopper body, a support rockable in either direction from a central position on the frame, on which support the body is tiltably mounted with its center of gravity directly over the axis of rocking movement in normal load-carrying position; stop means to limit the rocking movement of the support while permitting the body to continue its dumping movement by tilting on said mounting, and means limiting the range of said tilting movement.

12. In combination with a vehicle frame and a hopper body, a support rockable in either direction from a central position on the frame and pivotal means by which the body is mounted on said support for tilting with respect thereto and with its center of gravity directly over the axis of rocking movement in normal load-carrying position; stop means limiting the rocking movement of the support and a stop on the support to limit the tilting movement of the body with respect thereto.

13. In the combination defined in claim 11, locking means on the frame for holding said support in upright position, the body being retained by gravity alone in its normal loadcarrying position on the support, and means for releasing said locking means at will.

14. In combination with a vehicle frame and a dumping hopper body, a rockable support on the frame on which the body is mounted with its center of gravity directly over the axis of rocking movement in normal loadcarrying position of the parts, locking means for holding the support in said position but releasable at will; the body in said normal position having lodgment on the support at both sides of said center of gravity and at points spaced apart sufficiently to render the body stable on the support while the latter remains in said normal position and also during a portion of its rocking movement, and stop means to limit the rocking movement of the support whereupon one of said points of lodgment serves as a fulcrum upon which the body then tilts with respect to the arrested support for completing its dumping movement.

15. In the combination defined in claim 14, said points of lodgment of the body on the support being disposed below the center of gravity of the loaded body and one of said points comprising a pivotal connection to serve as the said fulcrum; and means limiting the range of pivotal movement.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Edgerton, Wisconsin, this 13th day of August, 1926.

LEROY E. WILLIAMS. 

